25/05/2026
GOVERNOR PARIWA PLEDGES K100,000 ASSISTANCE TO REMOTE NAEKO PRIMARY SCHOOL.
THE PROVINCIAL Member and Governor for Madang Province, Hon. Ramsey Pariwa, was rather surprised and emotional as well when he met with his people of Naeko in Ward 17 of Nahu-Rawa LLG in Rai Coast District on Monday, May 18, 2026.
A community leader upon greeting him informed Governor Pariwa that his late father, Hon. Samuel Pariwa, during his term as the local Member for Rai Coast District in the 1980s had built a first-ever permanent double classroom in that remote area nestled in the rugged mountains of the Finistere Range. Therefore, his recent visit to Naeko is rather special in nature and seals a wonderful bond of friendship with this remote community.
Governor was invited to Naeko Primary School to officially open a new permanent four-in-one classroom and a teacherâs house which the community had built themselves recently using their own sweat equity and resource, thus displaying a true spirit of self-reliance despite their isolation from the urban setting and denial to other basic government services.
Naeko is situated up in the mountains behind Ramu Sugar town. It shares common boundary with Markham District and is separated naturally by the Gusap river which meanders down from the towering Finister mountain ranges.
A colorful and rather emotional welcome greeted Mr. Pariwa and his delegation comprising the Bursar of the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea, Daniel Biti, Madang Provincial Education Advisor, Alphonse Igag, and the Rural Police Commander, Snr Inspector Peter Gorek.
The exited school children of Naeko Primary School acted several heart-wrenching dramas depicting the hardships, difficulties and challenges faced by the people in transporting the sick down the steep mountains and rugged terrains to seek medical attention. Even a local farmer showed to the governor a coffee branch which was affected by certain unknown pest and requested intervention by agriculture officers.
The Head Teacher at Naeko Primary School, Mr Behu Bongorenu, explained to Governor Pariwa that in 1987 the community had requested his late father Pariwa senior during his electoral visit to the area for a permanent classroom because the school only had structures built from bush materials.
âYour father was a good man and a true leader who had a compassionate heart and responded favorably to the cries of his people back then and delivered funding to build the first ever permanent double classroom here at Naeko Primary School,â Mr. Bongorenu remarked.
Governor Pariwa told the gathering that he was just a child when his father passed on, but he heard stories from his dadâs electoral visits to the remote mountain people of Naiko in Rai Coast and how he was able to assist a number of remote schools during his tenure.
Interestingly, the corrugated iron sheets which were used to build the new four-in-one classroom were extracted from the previous old double classroom building which the governorâs late father and MP for Rai Coast, Samuel Pariwa, had provided funding to construct.
Governor Pariwa in his address pledged a K100,000 financial assistance to Naeko Primary School merely because he was certainly inspired by their efforts despite their isolation in contributing their labor and little financial resources earned from selling coffee produce to build a four-in-one double storey classroom.
He encouraged the Naeko community that it is stated in the Bible that when you work hard and sweat to achieve something then God will reward you. On that token, help from the Madang Provincial Government has eventually come literally as a blessing due to the communityâs sheer determination, hard work, commitment and dedication to create a better learning environment for their children.
Mr. Pariwa remarked that when you start small and put your heart and mind to it with commitment and dedication then blessings would eventually come.
The Governor also spared time to explain to the people how the government processes work and his scope of work on impact project that serves majority of people.
Mr. Pariwa said his area of responsibility in the education sector is focused on assisting secondary and high schools in the province, while the District MP's scope of work covers primary schools, while the LLG presidents would focus on assisting early childhood learning. However, he is continuously receiving people at his office asking for assistance to build their primary school facilities, aid posts, water supply and so forth.
Therefore, as a leader he would not turn them away so he is using his discretion to assist primary schools building classrooms and teachersâ houses.
âWhen I see my people coming to me, I know my office is the last resort. If I turn them away, then who else will they go and see next?â he posed a question.
âI am becoming a safety net because I want my children of Madang to be educated in better learning environment. These children will one day become like âmy hands and feetâ to assist me develop Madang Province in various fields of work in the future like doctors, engineers, accountants, teachers and so forth,â he stated.
Mr. Biti, who is a local and one of the elites of Nahu-Rawa LLG urged parents who dwell in the mountains of the Finistere Ranges to invest more in their childrenâs education, while Mr. Igag urged the students of Naeko Primary School to aspire to become someone just like their very own Governor.
Mr. Igag told the students that he believes just the presence of the delegation to the area would mean a lot to some of the students in their aspirations to be somebody in the future.
Furthermore, he said he is proud to accompany his two former students on the trip to Naeko, declaring that he taught Daniel Biti at Brahman, and then taught the Governor later at Malala Catholic Secondary School.
Nahu-Rawa LLG Ward 17 member, Rine Isira, said Governor Pariwaâs visit to Naeko is the first ever by any governor of Madang province to their remote border area which previously was overlooked by provincial leaders.
âWe are right on the border with Markham people of Morobe Province. Itâs the Gusap River that divides us,â he explains.
âThe visit by Governor Pariwa to Naeko ignites a glimmer of hope that the Madang government has not forgotten us. We know we are blessed to have our governor of the province here and we know that help would come our way eventually,â Mr. Isira remarked.
ENDs..//
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